Professor Jack Ahern is leading a study for greenway development, including bikepaths and riverfront access in Chicopee.
Springfield Republican
PAMELA H. METAXAS
CHICOPEE - Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said yesterday his "Bosch to the Bridge" economic stimulus plan and an Urban Greening Study will dovetail into a long-term initiative focusing on infrastructure, roads, bridges, private development, the riverfront and bikepath.The mayor said he approached the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for the free eight-week ongoing study. "It's all part of the 'Bosch to the Bridge' plan and we need to incorporate the riverfront and the planned bike path. I don't want these done separately but as part of a complete plan over the next decade.
"We also want to make sure the corridor into the city is attractive and user-friendly. That would include trees, plants, waterfront access and development of the bike path along the Chicopee River," said Bissonnette.
"I looked at about 15 studies of Chicopee Center over the past 15 years. Now is the time to take all these studies and come up with a plan using the Greening study also."
Jack Ahern, professor of Landscape Architecture at UMass is leading the study and work with municipal departments developing an inventory of existing "green" resources such as street trees, parks, conservation areas, formal and informal trails, protected lands and wetlands.
When completed, this city wide inventory will be analyzed to identify problems with green- area configuration or management and opportunities to connect existing areas into a "green network" that can support ecological, hydrological, recreational and other functions and services.
Staff from the UMass Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning will be working on the study assessing the east side of the Connecticut River from the Springfield/Chicopee line to the confluence of the Chicopee River and both sides of the Chicopee River from the confluence of the Connecticut to the Springfield/Chicopee as to the suitability of residential, commercial, agricultural, recreational and open-space development.
Ahern has conducted similar studies statewide for the past 20 years, including a Chicopee River study at 1995. He believes Chicopee is well positioned to benefit from the study because of its special mix of rivers, escarpments and well-established and diverse neighborhoods.
Potential funding sources for tree plantings and innovative stormwater management demonstration projects will be identified with graduate students working on the study.
Bissonnette said the results will help city departments apply for grants and seek state funding for implementation, land protection or land acquisition.
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